1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital printing system, including a digital printing method, a digital printer and prints made according to that printing method.
2. Background Arts
Recently, high-performance digital image forming devices, such as digital cameras, digital printers and personal computers, are provided at lower prices than conventional, so they are rapidly spreading in the world. As a result, many people want to enjoy printing more easily on the basis of digital image data that may be picked up through the digital camera or an image scanner, or processed in the personal computer.
To reprint an image frame on the basis of digital image data initially used for printing the image frame, it is necessary to retrieve the image data. So far as a memory card or another memory medium that stores the image data is loaded in the printer or the personal computer or the like, the image data of the image frame to reprint is relatively easy to find. However, it has been necessary for the operator to check if the retrieved image data really represents the image frame to reprint by observing a simulation image displayed on a screen based on the retrieved image data, and comparing it with the initial hard copy. Moreover, once the memory card is unloaded from the printer or the like, and is unused for a certain time, the memory card itself can be difficult to identify, so it can take a certain time to find the original image data. Since the conventional printer cannot designate many and unspecific memory locations, e.g. those of external image data resources on the Net, the range of image data available for reprinting is limited.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a digital printing system that makes it easy to reprint an image based on image data used for printing that image initially wherever the image data is stored.
To achieve the above and other objects, a printer of the present invention is provided with a data entering device for entering data of a memory location; a data taking device for taking image data from the memory location in accordance with the memory location data; and a printing device for printing an image frame on the basis of the image data.
Because the data taking device automatically take the image data from the memory location designated by the memory location data entered through the data entering device, the image data is easy to retrieve.
According to a preferred embodiment, the printer is further provided with a second printing device for printing the memory location data, e.g. in the form of a bar code, along with the image frame, and the data entering device comprises a device for reading the printed memory location data.
Thereby, the memory location is determined by the memory location data printed on one side of the image frame, so the same image data as used initially for printing an image frame is automatically retrieved from the memory location designated by the memory location data.
It is preferable to provide the printer with a data communication device for taking the image data from an external image data resource. In that case, it is desirable to design the data taking device to take the image data from the external image data resource when a correct password or correct ID data is entered.
According to a printing method, data of a memory location storing digital image data of an image frame is printed along with the image frame. The printed memory location data is read out from the initial print when to reprint the image frame. In accordance with the memory location data, the image data is retrieved from the memory location, and the image frame is reprinted on the basis of the retrieved image data.